According to the prior art generally in use in the mills, a hinge seam is provided which utilizes metallic clips hooked to narrow fabric webbing which is, in turn, sewed on the respective ends of the dryer felt. Such a typical construction is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,844. Other means of attaching the ends of felts or belting to form a continuous closed loop are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,324,516 and 3,283,388 which illustrate a seam member and method for making same respectively. These latter patents contemplate forming the seam member of woven material which is folded upon itself and severing the filling intermediate the woven fabric.
The webbing of the present invention possesses an important advantage in that it may be woven from a single thickness of webbing with the filling yarns forming loops which, are resilient and relatively stiff and which maintain good alignment and opening for reception of the pintle means. The loops are carried at substantially right angles to the webbing at the edge thereof and provide good strength and wear characteristics.
Accordingly, an important object of the invention is to provide a webbing having loops formed integrally therewith which have good strength and characteristics and which maintain their alignment and position for ready reception of the pintle means.